The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-24
And that the Expiration of Twelve Months
Will See the Freight and Passenger Busi-
ness Conducted About as at Present.
Funeral Services Yesterday Over the Re-
mains Of the Late Mrs. Voorhees,.
Correspondent Saves Time by Using Mr.. Ed.
mundss Elevator Signal-Union and
Confederate Soldiers in the Senate.
THE INTERSTATE BILL.

A Member of the House Thinks the Rail-
ways Will Find Means of Evading the Law.
special to the INDIANAPOLIS Journas.
WASHINGTON Jan. 23-"There are more
ways than one to kill cat" said member of
the lower house of Congress who returned from
New York to-day. II have heard a great deal
during the past twenty-four hours of the evasion
OF the interstate-commerce bill when it's provis-
ions become a law. The railroads Of the coun-
try are managed with more adrotness and COM
mercia skill than any other properties in this
country. They are in the hands of the keenest
business men in the world. The best lawyers
nave long been retained by these men, and the
finest schemes for bringing about by indirection
desired end have been placed on foot and exc
cuted by these managers and lawyers. | shall
be nonplussed if find, at the end of the year,
the corporations have not conducted their busi-
ness of common transportation just about as it
would have bee0 conducted had not the proposed
control OF transportation been conceived. Dur
ing all of this talk and agitation in Congress
these shrewd managers and lawyers have
had their heads together in New
York and other great railroad centers
They have incubated. and the plans Matched
are sufficient for the conduct of their business
just about as they would have it under any con-
ditions, and the law can be evaded so beautiful
ly that it will have no effect in point of fact
There is a common tie which binds together the
interests of railroads, inasmuch as thev are
bonded and sold on the markets and maintained
largely by speculative reputation. I know that
IN the past there have teen cut rates and throat
cutting, and kind of free-for all in this railroad
business. But this was owing to the unham-
pered condition of public business We have
now struck at common interest of all these
concerns, and the cord is faulty drawn. They
all stand together, and by unanimous consent
and in self-preservation will work into each 9th
ers hands without pooling and without discrim-
nation. A very serious question has come up
baspre the railroad men connection with a
movement - eva5e the provisions cf the inter-
stat9-eosaneree bill. waieh may cusninate
in faithful obe1isnee TO ths provisions
Of the measure. It is wAlethar, should
the Law be evaded, Congress will not asneaa the
law so that II cannot be evaded and mako its re-
quirenents much more e1actine and anerons..
than tbs present law. The railroad men are /
worrying with this aspect OF the eituation and |
wondering whether it will be safe to ternnt /
Venus"
A collection Of the congressional opinions on
the effect of the interstate commerce law would
make valuable album for future reference
Nearly every man has a different idea OF it, and
the variety is interesting and instructive. A
Southern member said this morning
''The railroads intend to act in good faith with
the people, and comply with the law 1t is to
their beLe6t to do So Besides, it is not much of
hardship after ali, and really believe the rail-
roads are not going to suffer. and do not think
their managers care for it. The law will bring
them all together on common level, and will
enable them to put up and MAINTAIN rates at the
highest notch. They make more money
now than ever before. A great many expenses
Will De cut off-expenses relating to cut rates,
pooling, general travelling agents, ETC."
Another, who halls from the East, said:
1t IS terrible blow to the railroads And
they fought it off as though it was a death deal
ing plague. For weeks I have been receiving
whole armfuls Of literature from the railroads
against this measure. It came in the
form of speeches of lawyers, interviews in
newspapers with prominent railroad men. begin
ming with Vanderbilt and Gould, and going
down through the lists to the local agents, and
comprised an immense array OF argument
against the passage of the bill, and intended to
educate and influence the members against the
measure To my mind. such blow has not
been delivered at the railroads in the history of
the country. It is worse than the construction
of dozen trunk lines, to be operated free to
the people,"
So it goes. People here. where the law was
incubated, know less about its effect than those
located elsewhere.
THE LATE MRS. VOORHEES,